It took an extra end, but Japan have won the first-ever Pan Continental Curling Championships with an 8-6 victory over Korea in the women’s gold medal final.
This new event has featured teams from the World Curling Federation’s America and Pacific-Asia Zones. It now serves as the world championship qualification route for all World Curling nations, apart from those in the European Zone, with the top five women’s and men’s teams qualifying.
In Sunday evening’s final, Japan blanked the first end and then their skip Satsuki Fujisawa played a draw in the second end, to open the scoring with two points.
In the third end, Korea skip Ha Seungyoun managed to bring her final draw inside three Japanese stones, to score one point and reduce Japan’s lead to 2-1. In the fourth end, Korea had two well-placed stones and this forced Japan’s Fujisawa to throw away her second stone and settle for a score of one and a 3-1 lead.
In the fifth end, Korea skip Ha Seungyoun was able to draw for two points to level the score at 3-3 as the teams went into the fifth end break. After the break, Japan’s Fujisawa was heavy with her last stone draw attempt in the sixth and had to settle for a score of just one rather than the two she was looking for, to move into a 4-3 lead. Japan added to their lead in the seventh end when Korea’s Ha’s stone rolled too far after a hit, to give up a steal of one and put Japan into a 5-3 lead.
Japan led by 6-3 as the teams played the ninth end. Korea’s Ha played a draw to score two points and reduce Japan’s lead to 6-5. In the tenth end, Fujisawa could not remove a Korean stone buried behind cover on the button and gave up a steal of one to level the game at 6-6 and force an extra end.
Fujisawa had last stone in the extra end and used it to produce a hit and stay for two points and the 8-6 win that gave Japan the first-ever Pan Continental title.
After her win, a delighted Fujisawa said, “I’m super happy!” And reflecting on the tight end to the game she added, “Yesterday in the semi-final we had to come back in the last two ends. In this game it was similar but this time it was our opponent coming back. It was a tough situation, but we just had to keep our concentration and our mental state and just get through it. The ice was sometimes challenging, and we had our ups and downs. We lost some games, but we just had to make sure to keep positive, keep ourselves in the game and just enjoy ourselves on the ice.”
And Korea’s Ha Seungyoun was gracious in defeat, saying, “We had a little trouble at the beginning and middle of the game. We tried our best in the latter half but just came up a little short. We’re still a very young team and we’re going to grow, but I’m still very proud to be a silver medallist.”
Medallists:
Gold: Japan – Satsuki Fujisawa (skip), Chinami Yoshida (third), Yumi Suzuki (second), Yurika Yoshida (lead), Kotomi Ishizaki (alternate), JD Lind (coach)
Silver: Korea – Ha Seungyoun (skip), Kim Hyerin (third), Yang Taei (second), Kim Sujin (lead), Lee Sungiun (coach)
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
